1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed device and method relate to animal and, alternatively, object identification. More particularly, the system herein relates to a device and method enabling long range identification of individual tagged animals and objects, amongst a closely grouped plurality thereof, through the employment of a user-directed electromagnetic beam, which may be coherent light, which upon communication with a tag operatively positioned on an animal or object causes communication of an identifying response related specifically to the animal or object which is the recipient of the directed light communication.
2. Prior Art
In the industrialized nations as well as third world areas of the world, millions of animals are herded and kept in close groups to supply milk, fabric, meat, and other products. For instance, in the production of beef, animals are maintained and fed by the thousands in confined feeding operations known as “feed lots” on large tracts of land. Such operations can have a population in the thousands of animals, and include animals which are owned by a plurality of different owners.
Such a commercial enterprise conventionally houses animals from differing owners and thus it is paid for differing animal stock, from the large maintained herd of animals, owned by different parties. This creates a need for identification of each of the animals in a highly reliable manner. The same is true, for instance, for vehicles being run through an automotive auction or otherwise closely grouped in a parking lot, or for large areas where machinery may be adjacently stored, such as venues where hundreds of metal components are cured and weathered before use in an industrial plant.
In the case of animals, past identification has included plastic (visual) ear-tags and, more recently, electronically readable tags employing RFID radio frequency technologies. In the case of other objects, and even humans, for instance at ball game or concert, or skiing on a crowded mountain, RFID technologies have also provided a means for individual identification of each person, from the masses of people or objects in the large group, when the persons wearing the RFID impregnated tag reach a reading gate.
However, visual tags are not easily discerned when viewed from a distance, even with the aid of binoculars or the like, especially at odd angles. RFID type tags and similar RF identifiers conventionally require the object, person, or animal bearing the RFID identifier to move to a position proximate to a gate or other device which is capable of eliciting the electronic signal from the RFID. While highly accurate as to the object, animal, or person to which they relate, RFID-enabled and bar code type tagging systems are generally not readable from a distance of many feet or yards in passive mode. In modes of RFID which employ batteries which may transmit irrespective of an energized gate, such have not faired well due to short battery life and the rigors of operation on an animal in a harsh outdoor environment which can be wet, frozen, and continually affected by vibration from animal movement. Other modes of RFID and bar coded and similar tags also provide problems with visual identification of the individual item or person or animal when a large close group becomes proximate to a reading gate. While the gate may determine who or what is proximate, a viewing user cannot determine which item, person, or object relates to the information returned nor can they choose individual animals visually to identify.
As such, there is an unmet need for an identification system which provides highly accurate individualized identification, of distant, closely-spaced objects persons, or animals. Such a system should enable the user to visually identify an individual animal, person, or object from a distance, and then use the system to provide the user detained information on the visually sighted animal, person, or object. Such a system should also overcome the other shortcomings of existing electronic identification systems, such as bar codes, ear tags, and RFID components, which, even at short distances, frequently lack the ability to discern information about targeted individual animals, objects, or people who are closely spaced, and/or positioned at longer distances such as a distance which exceeds the beam width of the reading device.
The forgoing examples of related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the identification system and method described and claimed herein. Various additional limitations of the related art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.